Good Night Van Gogh

by
Lorraine Kwan for Re-Invent a Work of Art (2013)

Inspiration Piece: The Bedroom at Arles

Inspiration Artist: Van Gogh

I made a diorama (9" x 9" x 11" wide), a 3-sided room and floor with distorted perspective like the original oil painting. I left out the 2nd chair and other small elements. To make it 'my own' I made it a night scene with Van Gogh in bed, sleeping.
I used the wood veneers to cover the cardboard base of the table, to make the wood plank floor and to frame the pictures, mirror and window frame. I stripped the canvas board into layers, the backing became 2 walls, the paper was used to cover the cardboard base of the bed and most of the canvas was used to cover the 3rd cardboard wall (smoother). The rest was used to make the pictures on the walls. I flattened the heated plastic pellets with a rolling pin to make the windows and the mirror and a few of the washstand accessories. The plywood became the subfloor. The cotton fabric was soaked in paint and pulled into shape to make the towel, jackets and bedding. Pulled threads from the fabric were painted to make the red hair and the wire hangers for the paintings and mirror. The wire was used to make picture nails and the hooks on the coat rack. Shredded newsprint stuffed the pillows and mattress and was made into papier mache for the head and body in the bed. Dowels were soaked in water to bend bent then whittled for the chair.
The seat on the chair, the hat and the sheet edging is Sculpey. I used almost every scrap of cardboard from the box (often pulled it apart into layers). I learned very early to be stingy with the glue. Finished in acrylic paint and pen.

Sculpey make good crack filler. If I had a chance to do it over I would have made a complete maquette out of my own materials first and only then used the box materials for the final, because once it's used up there is no 'do over'.